Mine car and the like



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. E. EDMUNDS MINE CAR AND THE LIKE Original Filed April 5, 1935 Nov. 2, 1937.

6/2/70 27.- Edna/110's,

NOV. 2, 1937. EDMUNDS 2,097,967

MINE CAR AND THE LIKE Original Filed April 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNE'EED STATES assist? PATENT or es MINE CAR AND THE LIKE Application April 5,

1935, Serial No. 14,941

Renewed August 30, 1937 Claims.

The present invention relates particularly to vehicles, such as mine cars, having independently sprung wheels of the type shown in my United States Patent N 0. 1,974,018, issued September 18,

5 1934, the present invention contemplating the use of the same type of independent wheel mounting yokes.

According to the aforementioned patent, the

yokes are guided between side frames or sills, the outer of which must be demounted if the yokes are to be removed. Furthermore, according to the specific embodiment shown in the patent, the wheels can only be moved from the yokes by knocking out the stub axles.

According to the present invention, the yokes are demountable without disturbing the side frames or sills and the wheels may be dropped from the yokes without disturbing the wheel and axle assembly.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, I preferably provide snubber means, preferably in the form of springs, affecting the action of the main springs so that operation of the yokes is rendered smoother and sudden reactions of the main springs are prevented.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown the invention in practical embodiment and description will be made with reference to this illustrative showing. In the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation of a mine car embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view derived from Figure 1, on a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a section substantially on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the showing of Figure 2, partly in section and with parts broken away or removed;

Figure 5 is a section substantially on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section substantially on line 66 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing a modified snubber arrangement.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 6, reference numeral l8 designates generally a mine car having a body which includes side walls as at I I, end walls, and a floor including a depressed central portion l2 running from endto end of the car and side portions or flare plates as at 13 running from end to end of the car. Main sills as at I4, preferably in the form of Z-bars, constitute risers between the central flooring and the flare plates as particularly shown in Figures 3 and 6, the lower inwardly turned flanges of the Z-bars being secured to the lower inner marginal portions of the flare plates.

Angles as at I5 are secured to the upper margin a1 portions of the flare plates and to the lower inner marginal portions of the side wall. The ends of the main sills are joined by the end sill and bumper structures I6 and I1, the angles l5, which constitute auxiliary sills, being joined into the main sills by suitable means such, for example, as the body end walls.

Each flare plate is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced wheel openings, one of the openings being indicated at Ma, Figure 3. Wheel housings as at It cover the wheel openings, each of the'housings having a bottom horizontal perimetral flange overlying the margins of the wheel opening with which it is associated and riveted in position.

In Figure 1, two wheels l9 and 20 appear, the latter appearing also in Figures 2 to 6. A similar pair of wheels is disposed at the other side of the car as will be understood, but since the mounting of each wheel is in general the same, it will only be necessary to describe specifically the mounting shown in Figures 4 to 6.

An angle 2| has a horizontal flange riveted beneath the central portion of flare plate l3 and a vertical leg parallel to main sill M. To the right hand end of angle 2| is secured a fitting generally designated at 22, the fitting having a tongue 23 riveted to the vertical leg of the angle. Fitting 22 includes a vertical wall portion 24 somewhat outwardly offset from the plane of the tongue 23. At the ends of wall portion 24 vertical webs 25 and 26 project inwardly somewhat beyond the inner plane of angle 2!, these webs being con tinued outwardly to provide gussets 25a and 2601, whose upper edges are connected by a horizontal web 21 on which rests the flare plate 13. Web 21 is continued as at Ma inwardly of wall 2Q up to the edge of the wheel opening l3a. Both the angle l5 and the wheel hood flange are riveted to the web 21, 21a, through the flare plate so that an extremely rigid association of the parts is secured. Fitting 22 beyond gusset 26a has a vertical wall portion 28 somewhat outwardly ofiset with respect to wall 24, the extremity of wall portion 28 being inwardly curved to form a guard 2800. Portions 28 and 28a are connected upwardly by a web 29 which is somewhat downwardly ofiset with respect to web 21w. On its lower face, web 29 is provided with a spring centering boss 290..

To the main sill I4 is secured a bracket 3%, the bracket having angular walls 3! and 32 of which the former is secured to the outer face of the main sill, the latter projecting outwardly of the sill. The bracket has a top wall 33 provided on its underside with a spring centering boss 33a and with an eyeleted lug 33b.

Fitting 22 and bracket 36 are each preferably made as an integral steel casting.

A yoke generally designated at 34 has a tubular portion 35 of a length substantially equal to the distance between the main sill and the angle or auxiliary sill 2| and is svvivelled on a bolt 36 which is supported in perpendicular relation to the main sill in openings provided in the latter and in the vertical leg of angle 2|. Parallel arms 31' and 33 project from tubular portion 35 and have at their free ends spring seats and spring centering bosses 31a and 38a which lie beneath bosses 33a and 29a, respectively. The upper edges of arms 31 and 3B are adjacent the lower face of the upper flange of the main sill and web 2%, respectively, and are adapted to abut the same to limit movement of the yoke and car understructure relative to each other. The yoke spring seats, as here shown, are on depressed end portions of the arms so as to provide adequate space for compression springs 39 and 46 whose ends are engaged around the opposed centering bosses. The lower surfaces of webs or walls 29 and 33 are in the same plane so that springs 35 and 46 are interchangeable.

Just inwardly of boss 31a, arm 31 is outwardly expanded and provided with a downwardly open recess 4| rimmed at its upper portion by the parallel flanges 42 and 43 and the arched flange 44, these flanges being joined by a vertical web 45. Arm 38 has a similar downwardly open recess 46 with a similarlyoutwardly offset formation 47,, the vertical and arched flanges in this instance, however, being continued inwardly of the arm to provide a formation 48. A stub axle 49 is received in the arm recesses and is held against downward displacement therein by means of pins which bridge the recesses beneath the axle ends. Axial displacement of the axle is limited by the walls as at 45 of the bearing formations, these walls extending across the axle ends in proximity thereto. The bearing 48, Figures 3 and 4, projects between the vertical webs 25 and 36 of the fitting or casting 22, these webs extending downwardly below the normal position of the bearing formation and below the latter carrying a removable pin 52 for the purpose of limiting movement apart of the car understructure and yoke. The forma tion 43 is freely movable between webs 25 and 26 as particularly shown in Figure 4, the inner edges of the webs serving as guide means for arm- 38. The vertical web of main sill M, in conjunction with wall portion 45, serves similarly as guide means for arm 31. I I

From the above, it will be seen that the wheeled axle may be readily mounted in or removed from the yoke hearing when pins 50 and 5| are removed. Furthermore, upon removal of bolt 36 and pin 56, the yoke or yoke and wheel may be readily mounted in or removed from the yoke bearing when pins 50 and 5! are removed. Furthermore, upon removal of bolt 36 and pin 56, the yoke or yoke and Wheel may be readily mounted or demounted without disturbing the car understructure. The wheel and axle assembly may be of any preferred design. I here show a cylindrical axle provided at its end with an integral annular shoulder 49a, Figure 3, against which abuts the r taining collar 53 of an antifriction bearing assembly, the other collar 54 being held in position by means of a nut 55 threaded on a portion of the axle which is slightly enlarged, in order to take the threads, as regards the outer end portion 4613. Nut 55 is locked by a pin 56.

The free end of arm 31 is extended somewhat beyond the spring seat to provide an eyeleted lug 57 which lies beneath the eyeleted lug 33b, and the two lugs are connected by a tension spring 58, bracket wall 32 serving as a guard. Tension spring 58Vacts as a snubber and gives the yoke a smooth operation, eliminating violent reactions of the main springs 39 and 40.

In the relation of parts herein shown, the car is assumed to be loaded. The design may be such that under all load conditions the car body will be yieldingly supported on the wheels. On the other hand, when the car is fully loaded, the yokes may abut their upper stops. In any event, the main springs serve to keep the wheels on the track regardless of irregularities in height of the rails, the action of the main springs being modifled by the snubbers.

In Figure 7, reference numeral 31 designates an arm similar to arm 31 above described except that in place of the lug 51, arm 31' has an extension 59 with spaced gussets as at 66 therebelow. A bracket 36' is similar to bracket 30 but of smaller dimension since it provides no spring anchoring lug and its transverse wall 32' is shortened in order not to interfere with upward movement of lug 59 above which it lies. A bracket 6| secured to main sill M has an outwardly extending horizontal flange on which is secured one end of a leaf spring 62, the other end of the spring engaging under lug 59 between the gussets as at 68; Spring 62 has the same purpose as spring 58 previously described, the leaf spring, due'to the friction between its leaves, having a superior action under some circumstances. Ordinarily, however, the spiral spring arrangement first described will be entirely adequate and preferable, due to its simpler design. The snubber springs are of course of relatively small strength as compared to the suspension springs.

t its end opposite fitting 22, angle 2| has secured thereto a fitting 63 exactly the same as the former except that it is reversely arranged, as will be understood. The associated yoke 64 is also reversely arranged as regards yoke 34. It will be understood that the wheel mounting arrangement is duplicated on the other side of the car.

As here shown, the pivot bolts for the yokes are toward the center of the car. They could, of course, be toward the ends of the car or both could be toward the same end. It will be understood that other variations may be made from the illustrative constructions herein described without departure from the invention and that accordingly I do not limit myself except as in the following claims.

1. A car comprising an under-structure and wheels on which said under-structure is supported, mounting means for each wheel comprising a yoke extending in the longitudinal direction of the car and in pivotal connection with the under structure on an axis extending transversely of the car, a stub axle carried by each yoke remote from its pivotal axis and upon which a car wheel is mounted, spring means interposed between the under-structure and each yoke remote from the pivotal axis of the same whereby the understructure is yieldingly supported on the wheels,

rackets secured to the under-structure at the free ends of the yokes and each having a portion overlying the projecting portion of the adjacent yoke, and tension springs respectively connecting said projecting portions and said overlying portions of the brackets, said brackets including transversely extending walls constituting guards for the springs.

2. A car comprising an under-structure and wheels on which said under-structure is supported, mounting means for each wheel comprising a yoke extending in the longitudinal direction of the car and in pivotal connection with the under-structure on an axis extending transversely of the car, each of said yokes comprising a pair of arms extending side by side and provided with downwardly open recesses remote from the pivoting axis of the yoke, each yoke having a stub axle received in its arm recesses and removable means bridging the recesses beneath the axle to hold the axle in the recesses, the wheels being mounted on the axles between the respective yoke arms, means limiting axial displacement of the axles, spring means betweenv said yokes and said under-structure whereby the latter is yieldingly supported on the wheels, and removable pins limiting movement apart of the under-frame and yokes.

3. A car comprising an under-structure and wheels on which said under-structure is supported, mounting means for each wheel comprising a yoke extending in the longitudinal direction of the car and in pivotal connection with the understructure on an axis extending transversely of the car, each of said yokes comprising a pair of arms extending side by side and provided with downwardly open recesses remote from the pivoting aXis of the yoke, each yoke having a stub axle received in its arm recesses and removable means bridging the recesses beneath the axle to hold the axle in the recesses, the wheels being mounted on the axles between the respective yoke arms, means limiting axial displacement of the axles, said last-named means being constituted by wall portions of the yoke arms extending across the ends of the axles, spring means between said yokes and said under-structure whereby the latter is yieldingly supported on the wheels, and means limiting movement apart of the under-frame and yokes.

4. A car comprising an under-structure and.

wheels on which said under-structure is supported, mounting means for each wheel comprising a yoke extending in the longitudinal direction of the car and in pivotal connection with the under-structure on an axis extending transversely of the car, each of said yokes comprising a pair of arms extending side by side and provided with downwardly open recesses remote from the pivoting axis of the yoke, each yoke having a stub axle received in its arm recesses and removable means bridging the recesses beneath the axle to hold the axle in the recesses, the wheels being mounted on the axles between the respective yoke arms, means limiting axial displacement of the axles, spring means between said yokes and said under-structure whereby the latter is yieldingly supported on the wheels, an arm of each of said yokes having an outward protuberance and said under-structure having downwardly open recesses receiving said protuberances, and removable means bridging said last named recesses below said protuberances to limit movement apart of the under-frame and yokes.

5. A wheel mounting yoke comprising a pair of arms extending side by side and rigidly joined together at one end, pivoting provisions at said end whereby the yoke is pivotal about an axis perpendicular to the arms, the arms having open ended recesses extending transversely of a plane which includes said axis and in which recesses the ends of a stub axle are insertable, the arms having integral portions at their outer sides connecting the edges of the recesses for the purpose of strengthening the arms and holding a stub axle against axial movement out of the recesses, the recess walls having provisions for engagement by removable axle-retaining means.

GLENN E. EDMUNDS. 

